1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a vehicle antenna device. More particularly, the invention relates to a vehicle antenna device, its structure, and the manner in which it mounts to a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Technology
This invention pertains to a vehicle antenna device comprising an antenna, an amplifier in an amplifier housing, and the electrical and mechanical components necessary to connect the antenna to the amplifier and enable them to work properly in a vehicle. In the prior art, these elements are typically arranged with the antenna outside a vehicle chassis wall, the amplifier located inside this wall, and the two connected via a shielded cable which passes through a water-tight bushing in the wall. Such a vehicle antenna device is already known from German patent application DE 40 03 385 A1. In this known antenna configuration, sometimes called a bumper antenna, there are two antennae that are arranged in the corner areas of the bumper and which are connected via a phase-shifter line, as well as an amplifier whose housing is mounted on the inside of the vehicle body wall. The antennae are connected to an amplifier input that is designed with a mating connector via a cable. The cable runs through a bushing that is installed in a grommet opening in the vehicle body wall and a plug connector at the end of the cable plugs into the amplifier. To protect against electromagnetic interference (EMI) from the engine compartment, this cable must be shielded and its shield connected to the chassis. This known device for sending and receiving radio-frequency signals is expensive to manufacture and install for several reasons.
First, to protect against spurious radiation from the engine compartment, the cable has to consist of a shielded line whose shield is conductively connected to the vehicle body. This increases material costs and installation steps.
Second, the bushing is installed as a separate part, increasing parts count and installation steps.
Third, installation is overly complex because it involves too many individual steps: first, the antennas are attached to the bumper along with the phase-shifter line; then the amplifier housing is mounted on the vehicle body wall; then, in succession, the bumper is brought up to the vehicle body, the cable is run through the grommet in the vehicle body wall, the bumper is mounted, the bushing is attached to the cable and then inserted into the wall opening, and finally the cable plug is plugged into the amplifier socket.